Yarn feeding mechanism



Dec. 16, 1947. N. p. sAWYER ,685

' YARN FEEDING MECHANISM File 2d June 29, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 !NVEN TOR.

Mrman QDZoyer' ATTORNEY Ben, 16, 1947. N. D. SAWYER 2,432,685

I YARN FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 29, 1946 4 sheets sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

QMQMLJ A T TORNE Y Dec. 16, 1947. N. D. SAWYER 2,432,685

YARN FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 29, 1 946 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

Mr-man D 544 /9,

J.MQMQW.

ATT GEN E1 Dec, 15, 1947.

I N. D. SAWYER YARN FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 29, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 r J n 7 m N Ma m o n r L0 a 4 m m 2 EH 2? E rth 6 4 4 Patented Dec. 16, 1947 YARN FEEDING MECHANISM Norman mesne assignments, to & Dyeing Company, Malden, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 29, 1946, Serial No. 680,473

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved yarn feeding mechanism having provision for automatically varying the rate of feed of the yarn in accordance with the demand therefor by the knitting machine in a novel and efiicient manner.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the yarn feeding mechanism and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a yarn feeding unit embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the feeding unit shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are detailed views in side elevation, as viewed from the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the yarn feeding unit in different positions of operation; Fig. 5 is an enlarged view in side elevation of the rotary toothed feeding members; Fig. 6 is a cros sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a plan view detail as seen from the line 1-1 of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a detail view of a modification, to be described; and Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view of the interchangeable gear mounting forming a part of thedriving mechanism.

In general, the present invention contemplates the provision of a yarn feeding mechanism for a knitting machine having provision for automatically controlling the feed of the yarn in response to the demand therefor by the knitting machine in a novel and improved manner. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the feeding mechanism includes a pair of rotary toothed members, known in the art as furnishing wheels, between which the yarn extends and which are arranged to intermesh to unwind the yarn from the bobbins and to feed it to the knitting machine.

Heretofore, in prior yarn feeding mechanisms provision has been made for manually adjusting one wheel with relation to the other whereby the rate of feed could be adjusted in accordance with the demand by the knitting machine for various types of knitting. While such manner of adjustment has been satisfactory in those instances where the rate of feed required is substantially uniform, and the yarn being fed is of substantially uniform thickness, difficulty was encountered when a yarn of varying or non-uniform yarn to be unwound from D. Sawyer, Arlington, Mass., assignor, by

The Malden Spinning cross sectional thickness was supplied to the knitting machine because of the varying rate of feed effected by the non-uniform thickness yarn in passing between the furnishing wheels. Furthermore, it has been the practice heretofore to rewind the yarn from the cones or bobbins as received from the yarn spinning machine onto a roll from which the yarn could be unwound by th knitting machine with a more or less uniform tension as compared to the variation in tension occurring when unwinding the yarn from a cone.

In accordance with the present invention one of the furnishing wheels is provided with an eccentric mounting arranged to be rocked to move the wheel into greater or lesser intermeshing relationship with its cooperating feed wheel to effect feeding of more or less yarn, and, provision is made for rocking the eccentric mounting in response to the variations in tension in the yarn being supplied to the knitting machine as affected by the demand therefor by the knitting needles.

The automatic variation in the intermesh of the furnishing wheels thus effected permits the the cones or bobbins as received from the yarn spinning machine, thus eliminating the rewinding step formerly necessary to efiect uniform unwinding tension. The automatic variation in the rate of feed of the yarn also effects a correction in the rate of feed of yarn of non-uniform thickness as determined by the tension in the yarn being received by the knitting'machine, as well as compensating for variations in rate of feed due to incidental slippage between the furnishing wheels.

In practice, the furnishing wheels may and preferably will be driven from and in timed relation to the knitting machine by novel driving mechanism arranged to adapt the present unit for use with different knitting machines in which the rate of feed of the yarn may vary over relatively wide ranges. For this purpose provision is made for interchangeably mounting one of the driving gears in the driving mechanism whereby a gear may be selected to drive the wheels at a speed most closely approximating the demand by the knitting machine, the automatic adjustment of the eccentric mounting taking care of further variations in the demand by the machine, as above described.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a yarn feeding device comprising a plurality of individual yarn feeding mechanisms indicated generally at In corresponding to the number of strands of a in a bracket 54 attached to the frame.

more fully described.

l4 fixed in the block at its to urge the block downwardly,

cross plate lGJ seen that when the nut 18 is rotated in one direction the block l 2wil1 be raised, and when rotated yarn, such plurality of mechanisms being driven from a common source and mounted on a suitable frame l2 in operative relation to the knitting machine. Such multiple strand feeding devices are generally termed a bank of feeding mechanisms and in practice a plurality of such banks may be usedto feed the number ofstrands of yarn required by the knitting machine.

As herein shown, each individual yarn feeding unit comprises a pair of rotary toothed furnishing wheels Id, [6 arranged in intermeshing relation and between which a strand I 8 of yarn 15 extended to effect unwinding of the yarn from a bobbin 2i) and feeding thereof to the knitting machine. The lower furnishing wheel l6 of each mechanism is mounted fast on a shaft 22 journalled in bearings 24 attached to supporting brackets 25. The shaft 22 is arranged to be driven from and in timed relation to the knitting m achine, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, through connections including a chain and sprocket drive 28 to a horizontal shaft 30 supported in brackets 32, 34 attached toabase member 36. The horizontal shaft 39 is provided with a bevel gear 38 arranged'to mesh with a bevel pinion 40 fast on the lower end of a vertical shaft 42. The shaft J32 is journaled in the bracket 34 and is connected at its upperend to a second shaft 44 by a flexible coupling member 46. The shaft 44 is connected by'bevel gears lil, 50 toa short shaft 52 supported in bearings in the adjacent frame member 26 and i A spur gear 56 fasten the shaft 52 is arranged to mesh with a gear 58 which latter is rotatably mounted on a stud 60 adjustably received and secured in an arcuate slotted Y portion 62 of the adjacent frame member 26.

i The gear 58 is arranged to mesh with agear 64 interchangeably mounted on the end of the shaft 22, as will be hereinafter I Thus, in operation, the lower furnishing wheels l6 are continuously driven in timed relation to the operation of the knittingmachine. I As above stated, the upper furnishing wheels I4 of each yarn feeding unit are arranged to intermejshwitlj and be driven by the lower Wheels i6 and, as best shown in Fig. 6, each wheel I 4 is rotatably mounted on an eccentric stud indicated generally at 10 which is rockingly mounted in an adjustable bearing block 12 slidingly supported for vertical movement in the frame membars 26. -Provision is made for raising or lowering the bearing block "I2 to increase or decrease the axial distance between the wheels I 4, It in order to initially adjust the intermeshing relationship of the upper furnishing wheel M with respect to the lower wheel at a distance such as to closely approximate the normal feed required by the knitting machine. For this purpose, as shown in Figs. and 6, each slidingly mounted bearing block is provided with a threaded rod a lower end, its upper end being extended through a cross plate 15 and provided with a knurled adjusting nut 18. The cross plate 16 is secured to the'bracket 26 by studs 89, and, a coil spring 82 interposed between the bearing block and the cross plate is provided a I the block being retained in its upwardly adjusted position by the nut [8 bearing against the upper surface of the With this construction it will be in the opposite direction, the block will be lowered. 'A knurled screw 84 received in the upper m unt m a cr nk in a id y 4 end of the nut 18 and engageable with the top of the threaded rod 74 may be provided to lock the unit in its adjusted position.

The yieldably mounted construction of the bearing block 12 also permits the same to be manually lifted to raise the wheel [4 out of intermeshing relationship with the lower wheel 5 in order to permit the strand of yarnto be ini tially inserted therebetween such as when starting a new bobbin or when a strand is broken. In order to retain the wheel in its upraised position while inserting a strand therebetween a slidable plate maybe provided which rests on top of the cross plate 76 and which is provided with an opening 88 through which the lower end of the nut l8normally extends. The plate 86 is retained in operative position by the shouldered portions 90 of the studs 80 which are received in slots 92 formed in the plate 86. The forwardly extended portion of the slidable plate is knurled, asshown, and in operation, the plate may be grasped by its knurled end and upon lifting the bearing unit untilthe nut 18 is withdrawn fromthe opening 88, the plate edge of the nut 18 rests on the upper surface of the plate 86 to lock the unit in its npraised position. After a strand has been inserted between the wheels, the late '86 maybe pulled forward until the opening 88 is again in alignment with the nut whereupon the unit isreleased to again present the wheel l4 into intermeshing relation with the wheel 16.

From the description thus far it will be ob served that in the operation of the machine a strand of yarn I8 is unwoundfrom abobbin 20 knitting needles-by the furnishing wheels J4, I6 in timed relation to the operation of the knitting machine and that the intermeshing relation of the wheel l d with the wheel [6 may be initially adjusted to feed the yarn at a rate approximately that of the demand by the machine and also that the driving mechanism includes an interchangeable mounting for one of a selected group of gears to provide a speed most closely approximating the rateof feed required to supply 'the yarn to the machine. 'In passing from the bobbin 20 to the furnishing wheels, the yarn is guided througha guide member 95 supported by an angle bracket 96 from a cross bar 91 which extends the length of theunit and is attached to the supporting brackets 26, as shown,

As above stated, in accordance with one feature of the present invention, the eccentric mounting 10 of the upper wheel I 4 is adapted to automatically vary the rate of feed of the yarn to a still further degree of refinement or accuwith relatively slight variatherefor-bythe knitting machine and that this is accomplished by changing th .i tHme i e lrel tiensh of he w e in e nse t r at v ly li h variat on in tension in the yarn beingfed totheknittingneedles. As best shown in Figs, 1, 5 and'6, the eccentric mounting 70 .comprises a stud 98 rockingly meunte bal be r n s. '00 P de i t bearing block '12 rand thewheel' [4' is rotatably H i formed integrally with the stud 98 and eccentrically disposed with relation thereto. A collared. p rtion J84 of the stud mpri i g an enl ed di m ter ort formed between the stud. portion 98 and the c ank P n 0 i prov ed ha am'euid rod 0, Wh chext ad ho z n al and s'b dow .at i s lie end a sh to d s ose t guide member H18 in substantially horizontal maybe pushed back until one.

the yarn being fed from between the wheels I4, It. The yarn passing beyond the guide I08 is extended upwardly, as shown, and may then pass through an upper guide, not shown, from which the yarn may be directed downwardly to the knitting needles. As shown in Fig. 5, the eccentric portion Hi2 of the stud is disposed to the left of a vertical centerline passing through the stud portion 98 as viewed in Fig. 5, and, the guide rod I36 extends to the right. The guide rod IE6 is adjustably mounted in the collared portion I64 and is preferably spaced from and disposed in parallel relation to a line passing through the center of the stud portion 98 and the eccentric portion I02 of the mounting.

With this construction, the weight of the rod will tend to rock the stud 98 in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 5, and the tension of the yarn being pulled upwardly through the guide member I68 tends to hold the rod up in its normal horizontal position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, to maintain the wheels in a substantially intermediate intermeshing position to supply the yarn required. In operation, if for any reason the tension in the yarn being fed should be increased, indicating a greater demand by the knitting machine, the rod I will be pulled upwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, thus rocking the eccentric mounting in a counterclockwise direction to present the wheel I l into deeper intermeshing relation with its coopering wheel I6 and effecting an increased feed of the yarn to supply the demand. Conversely, if the tension in the yarn being fed is decreased, indicating a surplus of yarn being fed, the rod I96 will drop down as shown in Fig. 3 thus rocking the eccentric mounting in a clockwise direction to present the wheel M in lesser intermeshing relationship with the wheel l5 and effecting a decreased feed of the yarn. The wheel I4 may and preferably will be provided with a bushing IN! to permit free rotation thereof about the crank pin I02.

Referring now to Fig. 3, provision is further alignment with made in the preferred embodiment of the invention for stopping the machine in the event of an undue tension in the yarn for any reason, and also in the event of a sudden complete release of tension such as would occur when a strand is broken. As herein shown, a pair of metal cross rods H2, H4 extending across the unit and supported in insulating bushings H6 in the brackets 26 are disposed to define the upper and lower rocking limits of movement of the guide rods I96. Each cross rod H2, H4 forms part of a control circuit, not shown, arranged to be closed upon contact of a guide rod I06 therewith to operate a solenoid or the like to effect opening of a circuit tothe main driving motor of the machine. A lead wire II'I from the guide rod Hi5 may be grounded to a portion H8 of the machine irame to complete the control circuit. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4: the horizontally extended portion of the guide rod I06 may be ofiset to dispose the contact engaging portion of the guide rod substantially in a medial position between the cross rods H2, H4 during normal operation. Thus, in operation, when an undue strain occurs the guide rod I06 is rocked upwardly as indicated by dotted lines IIlEa into contact with the cross rod H2 to stop the machine, and similarly, when a complete release of tension is effected the guide rod is rocked downwardly as indicated by dotted lines IIIGb into,contact with the cross rod H4 to likewise stop the machine. As can be clearly seen from Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, when the guiderod is moved to its uppermost limit and in engagement with the stop II2, the upper wheel is in such position that the intermeshed furnishing wheels and the yarn o therebetween are not jammed together to such a degree that the yarn might be severed or the parts of the mechanism jammed and possibly damaged. Likewise, when the tension in the yarn is so slight that the guide rod drops to its lowermost position in engagement with stop H4, the intermeshed wheels will not yet have moved completely out of meshing relation but will remain in controlling engagement with the yarn I8 to thereby prevent slippage of the yarn or accidental dropping of the yarn from between the furnishing wheels. The stop means just described provides a safety arrangement whereby operation of the knitting machine and yarn feeding mechanism will be interrupted when abnormal conditions are obtained and before the yarn feeding mechanism has lost control of the yarn or before the parts thereof might become damaged.

Referring now to Fig. 8, as a modification of the present invention, the guide rod I616 may be extended to the left through the collared portion I04 for the purpose of supporting an adjustable weight I28, and, a second adjustable weight I22 may be provided on the right hand extension of the guide rod, as illustrated, to restrain the unit from undue movement thus providing a dampening effect on the mounting without increasing the tension required to efl'ect movement of the guide rod Hi6 upwardly or downwardly as above described.

As above stated, one of the gears 64, in the driving mechanism is mounted to permit interchangeability with one of a selectedgroup of gears to provide a speed most nearly approaching the speed required by the knitting machine with which the present yarn feeding unit is associated. The selected group of gears for interchangeable mounted in the present driving mechanism may vary by one tooth difference thus permitting a speed approaching the required normal speed by approximately five revolutions per minute, the automatic adjustment of the intermeshing feed wheels It and ifi'providing further corrections in the speed as above described. The interchangeable gear mounting as best shown in Fig. 9, comprises a hub member I24 provided with a bore I26 at one end arranged to fit over the end of the drive shaft 22 and is secured thereto by a set screw 528. The hub member is provided with a shouldered portion I38 arranged to receive the gear selected, the gear being provided with opposed keyways arranged to receive the opposed keys I32 provided in the hub member I24. The keys I32 may comprise pins driven into the hub member close to the edge of the shouldered portion I39, the pins then being cut lengthwise through the center as shown to provide flat portions engageable with the keyways in the gear. A threaded end I35 of the hub member is provided with a nut I36 to secure the gear in place. In operation, when a different gear 64 is to be mounted on the hub member I24 the adjustably mounted gear 58 arranged to mesh therewith is first moved in the arcuate slot 52 until it is out of mesh with the instant gear 84, first loosening the nut I25 securing the stud 58 in the slot. The instant gear 64 is then removed, after removing the holding nut I355 and a different gear is placed on the hub. 75 The gear 58 may then be moved into meshing engagement with the interchangeable gear and yarn whereby the yarn may nin'g machine.

from the conesas received ing tension and also for variations in thickness of the yarn and incidental slippage of the yarn being fed between the furnishing wheels. It will also be observed that the present yarn feeding unit is adapted 'for universal use with various types of knitting machines which vary in speed requirements overa relatively wide range by the provision of an interchangeable gear mounting in the driving unit. The present feeding unit is of relatively light construction and extremely sensitive to slight variations in tension, and, being driven from the knitting machine, the feed wheels necessarily start and stop with the knitting machine so that auniform supply of yarn is fed to the machine at all times.

While the invention has been herein illustrated and described as embodied in a knitting machine and as being adapted "for feeding yarn it will be understood that the invention may-be employed in other forms Within the scope of th -following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. Yarn-feeding mechanism comprising apair of yarn furnishing wheels other and having intermeshing teeth for engaging and feeding the yarn, an eccentric mounting on which the upper Wheel is rotatably mounted, a yarn receiving guide extending from and directly connected to in the yarn being fed, and

mean-s ior initially adjusting the axial distance disposed one above the 'against the action anaestbetwee'n sai'd wheels to obtain the approximate normalfeeding ratecomprising a movable bearing for said eccentric mounting and means for raising or lowering said movable bearing, said bearing being yieldingly maintained by resilient means in it's "adjusted position but manually movable of said resilient means for separating'th upper wheel 'from the lower wheel to facilitate threading the yarn therebetween, and movable means for retaining the bearing in its upraised position without disturbing the setting of said adjusting means.

2. Yarn feeding mechanism comprising a pair of yarn'furn-ishing wheels disposed one above the othera n'dhaving intermeshing teeth for engaging and feeding the yarn, an eccentric mounting on which the upper wh'eeli's rotatably carried, a yarn receiving guide rod directly connected to said ecc'entric mountingand horizontally extended on bothsi'des thereof, a fixed guide member at one end "of said rod through which the yarn passes, the tension of the-yarn normally maintaining the rod in a substantially horizontal position and any variation in tension efiecting a. corresponding i said eccentric mounting to vary the relation of said wheels, and adjust carried on said rod on both sides of i-htel l'ne'shi-ng able weights '=said eccentric mounting to exert a dampening efiect on the movement of said mounting.

NORMAN D. SAWYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file Of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 205, 3 McNary July 2, 1878 479,763 Mande'rfield July 26, 1892 1,867,635 Swinglehurst July 19, 1932 971,427 Quick Aug. 28, 1934 2,130,979 Wirth Sept. 20, 1938 2,247,244 Lawson June 24, 1941 2,383;838 Auble Aug. 28, 1M5

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 351,342 Germany Apr. 6, 1922 578,640 Germany June 15, 1933 

